


The Fae's Secrets

by GoldenWeirdo



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alternate Universe - Wings, Angst, Childhood Trauma, Demons, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Being Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Identity Reveal, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Past Character Death, Past Hawkmoth, Past Heroes - Freeform, Past Violence, Revenge, Supportive Plagg (Miraculous Ladybug), Supportive Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:55:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25439554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenWeirdo/pseuds/GoldenWeirdo
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is an average pixie. Living with her parents, working in their Bakery, and going to school with her best friend, Alya. Life couldn't be better. Except for one thing. Pixies gain special powers when they reach 12 or 13 years of age. Marinette is now 14, and she hasn't seen any sign of getting her powers or the Miraculous that helps control them. She doesn't let that get her down however, staying confident that someday they will emerge. Some just take time... Right?All of that changes when she meets a Demon. A Horrifying Monster from childhood stories. It was said the mysterious creatures with abnormally large wings killed thousands of her Kind over Three Hundred years ago. Cast into myth and legend. Up until now.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 39





	1. Fate's Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How the beginnings of Marinette/Ladybug start...

Kicking the covers of her blankets off, the small fairy fluttered to the ground in excitement. Today was the day she turned eight years of age! With the pigtails her Momma put in the night before, and pajamas still on, the little pixie flew down the staircase. Getting to the bakery as fast as her growing wings could fly. Once she got there, she met her parents' eager grins as her Papa set a pretty, pink cake on the counter.

“Momma, Papa! It’s my birthday! It’s my birthday! Can you believe it? Did you remember? I’m turning eight today!”

“Of course we remembered, my sweet Marinette. We made your favorite cake, just for today. We even made the frosting your favorite color.”

“You might even have a few surprises!”

The little fairy flew up to her beloved parents, and hugged them. They always remembered her birthdays even without her reminding them.

“Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you! I love you Momma! I love you Papa!”

Tom and Sabine held their precious daughter as she squeezed them as hard as she could. They both couldn’t believe how much she had grown over the years. It felt like the other day they were holding their newborn daughter in their arms, marvelling at how perfect she was. Yet, as she grew, she only became more perfect to the proud fairies. Setting Marinette down, they watched with loving gazes as their tiny daughter flew over to stare at the cake they had both helped make. Tom let out a boisterous laugh when the small ravenette stuck her hand right into the icing. On the other hand, Sabine was quick to correct the situation, running over to her without a second thought.

“Oh Dear, don’t do that! Now your hand is all dirty. And you can’t open your present from Nonna if your hand is covered in icing, now can you?”

That sparked the pixie’s attention as she dashed for the bathroom to quickly wash her hands off. This time, both of her parents laughed at her determination. Once she came back, she excitedly started spouting questions.

“Did Nonna really send me a present? Where is it? Can I open it? Where is she this time? What did she get me? What if it’s some type of rare bracelet? Like the one Chloé has? She shows it off all the time when I’m at school. She calls it her Miraculous. She keeps on teasing me about it, saying I’ll never get mine. Is that true, Mommy? Will I never get my Miraculous?”

“Slow down, Sweetie. Slow down. It doesn’t matter what Chloé has. Besides, you already know that a Miraculous only appears when your gifts appear. Your Miraculous will be something that is important to you, like my necklace. It was my mother’s before she gave it to me.”

“But, if it’s your Miraculous, then why did your Momma give it to you?”

“Oh Marinette, a Miraculous is something that is special to you. For me, my mother’s necklace was important to me because it runs in my family. Someday, you’ll have it.”

“But wait! I don’t want to take it! That’ll take your baking talent! And I don’t want my Momma without a power!”

“Marinette, you can’t take my talent. It’s always with me. The Miraculous just controls it, remember? Now, you should open the present you got from Nonna, she sent it all the way from Patagonia this time.”

Without hesitation, the small fairy thanked her Momma and Papa before tearing the wrapping off the small gift. Inside, sitting on a tiny cushion, was a pair of black earrings. Beside them, rested a piece of paper with a note written on it addressing the birthday girl.

_**‘I am so sorry I couldn’t make it to your birthday this year, My Little Fairy. But I found these special earrings in a small town I traveled to by river. It was quite exciting, because once we reached the village, we were chased by a bear!’** _

The note went on about the amazing adventures that the tiny pixie’s Nonna had been on. But what nobody noticed was the small, pink glow that came from the two pieces of jewelry left forgotten in the box. With that flicker of magic, came a very special creature. Not just any creature, because in that moment, the Kwami of Creation had read the child’s heart and destiny. Upon deciding her Chosen, Tikki travelled to the girl’s home through the smallest flicker of magic found in her Miraculous, the two earrings she had gotten from her Grandmother Gina, whom she rarely saw.

As she watched the pixie eat a slice of pink cake cut by her beaming parents, the Kwami did not believe she was ready yet. The small child would not understand what her path was meant to be yet. Not now. In that moment, she swore to remain hidden until the girl was big enough to learn to control the powerful magic she now held within her. Not until she met her destiny.

  
  


**** Six Years Later

  
  


Marinette Dupain-Cheng was now fourteen years of age. Living happily with 

her parents in their family bakery, she met up with her friends often, and waited for school to start the next day, where she hoped her and Alya would have classes together. Her life had been simple and peaceful. There was just one problem.

“But Mom." Marinette drew out the word long enough to grab her mother's attention. "I don’t have my powers yet! What happens if they don’t manifest at all? Then I would be the laughing stock of the whole school! Then- then nobody would even want to hang out with me, and- Oh… Who am I kidding? With my luck, of course that would happen. Chloé’s just gonna  _ love  _ this.” 

“Now Marinette, You know it is practically unheard of for a fairy to  _ not  _ have a gift of some kind. We thought the same thing when your Father’s gift didn’t show up until his third year at Lycèe! But, as always, it did manifest, it just took a little more time than others. Now look at him, running this bakery with the help of his confectionery talent and his family beside him. Neither of us could ask for anything else. Besides, you never know what might happen this year. You might even meet someone new! You also still have Alya.”

“You’re right… Alya is going to public school this year, and we do have some classes together. You’re right, I just need to look on the bright side of things! Just because I don’t have any gifts yet, doesn’t mean they won’t appear. Thanks, Maman.”

“Anytime sweetie, but you had better get to bed now. You have your first day of school tomorrow, and you wouldn’t want to be late.”

“Yeah, probably a good idea. Good night!”

She had forced whatever positivity she could into that statement, trying to hide the racing doubts still in her mind. Even if a fairy without a talent wasn’t heard of, that didn’t mean it couldn’t still happen. Everybody else her age had already found their gifts, if she didn’t have one by morning, tomorrow was going to be harder than she imagined. Sleep evaded her for many hours of the cool night as she desperately tried to force her powers to appear before the sun rose over the horizon. Unfortunately, her efforts were all in vain.

Her mother burst into the room frantically trying to wake her sleeping daughter before she was late on the first day of her school.

“Marinette! Get up! You slept through all of your alarms. I’ve already packed your breakfast, and you can just get lunch at the school, but you need to hurry if you’re going to make it on time today!”

“Oh! Oh! Okay! Thanks Maman!”

Marinette rushed downstairs, still in her normal clothes from last night and kissed both her parents on the cheek before flying off to the entrance of her school. She had never been more grateful for her fast, crystalline wings until now. They carried her to the classroom just as the bell had rung.

“I’m not late!”

Bursting through the doors of her History class, the exhilaration of getting there on time had gotten to Marinette’s head, causing her to shout at the whole class. Thankfully, Mme. Bustier was teaching today, being known as the sweetest teacher in the school, she simply chuckled at Mari’s antics before telling her to take a seat. With her face now inflamed and her head down, she rushed to sit down next to her best friend, Alya.

“I gotta say, you sure know how to make an entrance, girl. Here I thought you were going to be late on the first day, because that’s how you are but hey! You proved me wrong, even if it was at the last second.”

“Oh Alya! I can’t believe I slept through all of my alarms! I know I was supposed to meet you and Nino at the entrance before school started, but I was up all night…”

“Woah girl! Calm down. First of all, both me and Nino knew you were probably going to be late. Second, what’s with staying up all night? You knew school started today.”

Marinette had told her best friend about having no abilities yet before, but that had been a few months ago. The pixie must’ve assumed she had gotten them by now. Looking over at her friend’s red orange wings, the ravenette felt even more embarrassed for not having her gift yet. Both Alya and Nino had already discovered their talents in Photography and Music.

No matter how hard she tried, no matter what she did, her own gift had not yet appeared. Reaching a hand up to touch the black jewels adorned on her ears, the racing doubts in her mind quieted. Touching the earrings she had gotten from her Nonna quickly became a nervous habit for whenever she felt stressed, as if there was someone that had always been there supporting her through tough circumstances. Thankfully Marinette didn’t have time to respond to her best friend’s question however, because that was the exact moment when Mme. Bustier told the class to quiet down so she could begin the lesson.

“Today, we will start by studying Ancient Legends. Though they are proven to be false, there are still very important themes we are able to learn from them. Now, open your books to page 12, please. There, we will begin by reading excerpts about various beasts, which, according to myth, some believed to live far before the Fae were able to grow and build.”

The class rolled by smoothly until they got to the topic of Demons. Creatures from pure lore thought to have enormous, feathered appendages instead of a fairy’s delicate, translucent wings, they were capable of flying anywhere they wanted to. The pictures contained in the book described them with various amounts of scales, fur, or even horns growing alongside their massive wings. Alya quickly took pictures of the beasts in order to examine later. She had always been the one to believe any type of ancient beings had existed before. However, many others were simply disgusted by the imagery of the things. Including Chloé.

“Uh, Ms.? Why are we looking at these **_things_** again? All they’re good for is looking hideously ridiculous. Utterly Ridiculous. I mean really, am I supposed to think these brutes were actually real, other than from little kid’s books?”

“Of course they existed! Right Madame Bustier?! Legend tells us that they were very real, because it was said that their hunger grew as they travelled long distances. Leading to the devouring of over eight hundred thousand Fae!”

“See, that’s the problem with these childish stories, Madame. They make  _ children  _ believe them.”

The whole class watched as Alya and Chloé fought over the reality of Demons. Soon, it became a huge discussion that involved everyone in the classroom. Marinette watched as students tried convincing other students of what they believed. Whether the Beasts of Lore were real or not and why. Mme. Bustier’s attempts to calm everyone down went unheard as they continued to fight.

At this rate, Principal Damocles would be storming in here just to quiet everyone down. With that thought in mind, Marinette wasted no time in standing up and slamming her hand down on the desk in front of her as hard as she could. The smack was loud enough to catch everyone’s attention, making them wonder why the soft-spoken, clumsy girl just did that.

“Now, I know everyone has different opinions on whether or not demons actually existed. But, that doesn’t mean we have to fight over it. How about we let Ms. Bustier explain to us what the legend means.”

Once the students sat in their respective seats, Mme. Bustier thanked Marinette for the help, but next time, to be less rough about it. She went on to tell the class that the information they had on Demons was vague, but that didn’t mean they never existed. As the class ended, everybody had been assigned a paper to write on what they believed about the ancient creatures. Although thankful that it was due next week, the ravenette hated any amount of homework, especially on the first day.

When the end of the school day finally rolled around, Marinette grabbed her remaining work and stuffed it in her backpack before flying off to the entrance. There, she met up with Alya and Nino in order to hang out at her house after school was done. When she arrived, Alya was still going on about how she thought Demons were real at some point. Spotting the look on Nino’s face, the pixie giggled. She knew that face all too well. Alya hadn’t stopped ranting for quite some time. Mari loved her best friend, but sometimes she got so caught up on a topic that she didn’t notice what other people were thinking.

Seeing Marinette, the boy’s face lit up with relief while his blue wings fluttered behind him. He spoke loud enough to speak over Alya’s ongoing rant in order to greet the fairy coming towards them.

“Hey! Marinette! You’re here! Now, as I was trying to mention to Miss Photographer here, I found this great rock formation just a few miles past the forest that I thought Alya would love to get a picture of.”

“Wait, a  **_Rock Formation?!_ ** Are you talking about the one next to that huge canyon? Maybe I could find some sort of evidence in there that demons did exist! I mean, rocks are basically filled with history! Maybe I could find a fossil! I’ve never had time to explore the canyon by myself, but if you guys were there, that would be totally awesome! I could get some really cool pictures of you in there! What do you say, Marinette?!”

Marinette knew her friends were talking about the large canyon found just outside the Astral Forest, but she also knew the risks of going there. Not only did the forest itself contain creatures of every kind, but the canyon was especially dangerous because there had been various reports of falling boulders.

“I- I don’t know. I mean- there’s been a lot of reports I’ve read of fairies that go up there and get hurt really easily. Seriously, what happens if an avalanche falls on us, or we can’t see because there’s too much dust in the air, and then we crash into falling rocks? And what if the weather decides to turn on us when we do get up there? That would make the risk even worse! I just- I don’t think it would be a good idea to go there, that’s all.”

“Alright girl, I’m not going to force you to go, but the weather report says it’s clear skies for all of today. So, I guess if you don’t care about leaving me and Nino to adventure the foreign lands with clear weather alone, then that’s your choice…”

Marinette knew what her best friend was doing. She knew Alya really wanted her to go with them to the canyon, and she was trying to guilt trip her into going. Against the pixie’s better judgement, she reluctantly agreed to go on the condition that they at least tell her parents they were going somewhere. With all of them in agreement, all three fairies flew over to Marinette’s bakery. Once they got there, Sabine greeted them from the counter.

“Oh, you’re finally back from school! Hello, Alya, Nino, how was your first day? Were you late to class this morning? What did you learn?”

“It was good, Mom, and no, I was not late to class.”

“She barely made it into the room before the bell rang, if that’s what you're asking. The lesson this morning was so great! We learned about mythical beasts that were believed to live over three hundred years ago!”

“Uh- yeah, what Alya  _ really means _ is that we learned about the Legend of Demons this morning, and she hasn’t been quiet since. Believe me, I know.”

“Nino!”

“ **Well,** I’m going to put my bag upstairs in my room real quick, be right back!”

“Ok, but don’t take too long, girl! Anyways, people have described them with-”

Marinette flew up the stairs to escape another one of Alya’s Demon rants. Not that she didn’t support her best friend, but hearing the same myth over and over again tended to get old. Besides, nobody really believed Demons ever existed in the first place, so why bother trying to learn more about them? As the young pixie got upstairs, she kissed her Papa on the cheek before heading to her room. Even though she was planning on just leaving her bag there and going back down to meet up with her friends, something else caught the fairy’s attention.

“Hello there, Marinette. It’s so good to finally meet you.”

“What the-!”

As she was turning around from placing the backpack on her chaise, a giant, flying red  **_bug_ ** flew right up to her face. Before she got the chance to scream, the creature silenced her before continuing on.

“Please don’t scream! I’m not here to hurt you! I-”

“ _ If you’re really not going to hurt me, then _ **_what- what are you?!_ ** A- a giant bug? A mouse? A bug-mouse?!”

“Please calm down, Marinette and let me explain.”

Before the giant bug-mouse thing could come any closer, Marinette quickly flew over to her vanity and grabbed a cup she had there before trapping it underneath its surface.

“How- How do you know my name?! What are you?! Momma! Papa!”

The scared pixie didn’t get the chance to open her trapdoor in order to alert her parents however, because the _thing_ **phased through the glass cup she trapped it underneath.**

“Just listen to me, Marinette, I am what is called a Kwami, I, along with your Miraculous, can help you control your powerful magic! The reason why I know your name is because I’m the one who chose you.”

“But- But I- I don’t have my powers yet, or my Miraculous! I’ve never even heard of a ‘Kwami’ before! How do I know what you’re saying is true?! And ‘powerful magic’, what does that even mean?!”

“Listen to me, you have to be quieter. There’s a reason why us Kwamis are not known in your world. We are supposed to stay secret in order to protect our Owners from any harm that may befall them because of our existence. You do have a Miraculous, and you’re wearing them now.”

Her hand immediately rose to touch her black earrings. She remembered the day she got them. It had been her eight or ninth birthday, and since Nonna couldn’t come, she had sent these instead. But that didn’t mean they were her  **_Miraculous_ ** , did it?

“You mean- you mean my Miraculous are my  **_earrings?_ ** _ ” _

“Precisely. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you have gifted with the power of Creation. Under my guidance as the Kwami of Creation, you will be able to control it enough to restore any damage caused by villains that may come your way.”

“Wait, wait wait wait wait. Hold up.  **_Creation?! Villains?!_ ** What are you- what are you talking about uh-  _ Oh, Kwami of Creation?” _

“Oh! I’m sorry, my name is Tikki. You, Marinette, are destined to become the superheroine, Ladybug. She has been one of the Guardians of Faekind for many centuries before you. As you might know, the Power of Creation has not been seen for many years until today. It is an extremely powerful and old kind of magic. You will learn to harness it as the Ladybugs before you have.”

“This has to be a mistake of some sort! How- how could  _ I  _ possibly have the Power of Creation when the only thing I can create is disaster? You know what. Alya would know what to do with this, she’s my best friend, and she’s into all kinds of legends, and myths, so you should go to her instead.”

“Marinette, I have chosen you because I have seen what’s in your heart. You have always been willing to help others no matter the circumstances, even when you were little. Although you will not be able to fully harness your powers yet, I will help teach you to control them.”

“But-”

“Marinette! Where are you, girl?!”

  
Out of nowhere, Alya burst into her room. Out of the corner of her eye, Marinette saw the Kwami-  _ Tikki _ hide in her purse. Although she didn’t exactly know what was going on, she had a strong feeling to not reveal what she had just witnessed. At least, not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter! Also, if you got a notification for it being posted earlier, I had some major issues when trying to post it, but they're all cleared up now! The teaser was obviously not in here, but it will most likely be in Chapter 2, or 3, so I won't keep it off for long! This is also my first Wing AU, so we'll see how this goes, I already love the characters (some you haven't met yet, but will meet soon), and I hope you do too! I'll also be updating my first revised edit of Chapter One of Memories very soon, hopefully tomorrow. Thanks for all the positive feedback! See you later! Bug Out!


	2. A New Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you meet someone new...

“Uh- hey Alya! Sorry I took so long, I just- uh- I just set my bag down on my chaise, and then I- uh- I tripped on a paper that fell out from my backpack, and I hit my head, like, really hard on the ground and I- I must’ve blacked out for a few minutes. Sorry.”

“Oh, Marinette. Girl, you are so clumsy, I’m not even surprised. Now, come on, we’d better get there before it gets too late.”

Alya grabbed one of the pixie’s hands, and led her out of the room. But before Marinette reached the stairs, she quickly grabbed her purse on the way out. Even if she still had so many questions, Tikki was the only one who could seemingly answer them. Soon, the three fairies were bidding Marinette’s parents goodbye as they started their journey through the Astral Forest to get to the canyon.

Deciding it safer to travel on foot, Marinette folded her precious wings as close to her back as she could get them while they trudged past endless trees, bushes, and whatever else. Alya led the way with Mari in the middle, and Nino bringing up the rear as they all travelled in a single line. Conversation became scarce as they were all focused on getting through the surrounding brush. Thankfully, no animals decided to jump out at them, or eat them as they made it through with no problems except sore limbs and muddy clothes.

Finally arriving past the dense tree cover, the sun wasted no time in pushing its way past the clouds, and beating down on the tired fairies as they reached the canyon. Once there, Marinette spotted several signs warning any pixies to turn back while they had the chance, and that this gorge was called the ‘Forbidden Pass’ for a reason.

“Wait, **_Forbidden Pass?!_ ** That’s what this canyon is called?! Guys, we really shouldn’t be here…”

“Look girl, you can turn back at any time, but me and Nino are going to stay and explore around a little bit longer.”

Marinette watched her two friends enter the rocky chasm as she looked on with wary eyes. She then debated between her fear of the gorge, and being as courageous as the pixies flying around, jumping from rock to rock until she couldn’t see them anymore. Preparing to turn back, she felt a nudge on her leg. Looking down, she saw her purse banging against her hip. Tikki. The fairy had completely forgotten about the strange creature. Carefully opening it, she watched as the large bug flew out in front of her face.

“You know Marinette, it is alright to be scared.”

“Of course I’m scared! I’ve heard so many stories about this place! It’s dangerous! Yet, Alya and Nino just dive right in! They could get hurt, or- or get stuck somewhere with no way out, or-”

“Marinette. Listen to me. Fear can be a good thing to have sometimes, but you should never let it control your actions. That would only lead to more disaster. A fairy can decide to hide from it, allowing it to roam free, and grow worse.-”

The pixie wilted in shame at the statement. That was exactly what she did. Oh, why couldn’t she be more like Alya, fearless, and headstrong. Ready for anything that comes her way…

“ **But** comparing your own actions to others around you can have the same effect. Don’t allow such thoughts to fester in your mind. That would only make your decisions harder. Marinette, you have the strength to overcome anything that stands in the way of building yourself up. You need only to find it.”

“You know, for a strange bug creature, you’re actually pretty wise. Thank you, Tikki.”

With the newfound confidence building in her, Marinette made sure Tikki was in her purse before flying out in the direction of her friends. But, that’s when things took a turn for the worse. As the pixie flew past many huge boulders, she began to falter when she couldn’t see any sign of Alya or Nino. Where were they? They couldn’t have gotten that far ahead of her… 

****

Meanwhile… a different obstacle awakened… Rising through the darkness came a figure… Sensing the dueling energies in the air, the person knew that their time had finally come to take back what had rightfully been their’s. Claiming that they would finish what was started long ago… By extending their power, they felt new opportunities arise for new followers… Sending just two of their minions out, the slaves willingly accepted the tempting offer of revenge. Pulsing dark energy towards them, the shadowy figure smiled as he sent them both on certain tasks… 

****

Marinette checked around every rock she could see for any sign of her friends, with no success. But, just as she finally gave up her search, mist enveloped the canyon, making her vision worsen by the second. Now she really had to head home. Gliding back the way she came, her hope of using the sun as a guide disappeared, just the ball of fire hid behind dark clouds. A storm then decided that was the best time to show up. The pixie was promptly thrown out of her attempt to concentrate on the road ahead of her when a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a large clap of thunder.

She immediately started panicking as her shock had thrown her into the back of a huge boulder. Her sense of which direction to take was confused as she started becoming desperate.

The storm grew worse as Marinette frantically beat her wings against the coming winds. Her vision became completely clouded due to the amount of fog rolling in with the pelting rain. Why had she agreed to do this? Oh yeah, it was because at the time, the skies were _clear of any weather!_ But Marinette also didn’t want to look like a coward in front of Alya and Nino, especially since they all flew up to the canyon together.

But the nasty weather seemingly came out of nowhere as the pixie’s wings struggled with the oncoming elements that grew worse by the minute. Everybody knew that flying out in the cold rain could seriously damage the fragile limbs, but Marinette had no choice. She had to find a shelter of some kind.

After what felt like hours flying through the heavy mist, Marinette’s strength had weakened considerably, her wings had long become numb to any sort of feeling. She couldn’t find the energy to fly any longer, even with Tikki pressing her paw against the side of her neck in an attempt to make her keep going. When a final crack of thunder rumbled across the sky, the pixie felt something. An immense amount of horrendous **_pain_ **shot through every one of her limbs as the air suddenly became too thick to breathe. In that moment, the ground beneath her looked all too tempting, and with a final plea for help on her lips, the young ravenette dropped out of the sky, unconscious.

****

Adrien Agreste was not an average fairy. He did not have the iridescent, _normal_ pixie wings that stretched just past your arm length. Instead, he had been born a Dégorn. Hideous creatures with **_huge_ ** **,** **_feathered appendages_ ** sprouting out of their shoulder blades. Unfortunately, Adrien hadn’t escaped that curse. His bright, golden brown wings had grown so big, that whenever he walked, they would brush the ground behind him. His whole life, he had grown up in a huge mansion of a house with nobody around, and had been taught about how much he was hated by the world, knowing that if he ever attempted to leave, he would be killed on the spot. His Father would not accept that risk. But what the boy’s Father didn’t know is that Adrien had found new ways to escape.

Today, he had just sat through continuous lessons with various tutors, who all wouldn’t go within twenty yards of him out of fear. He was used to this by now, knowing that nobody in their right mind would want to go near the “Demon”. When the lessons eventually ended, and the teachers were wiped of any memories of him by Natalie’s power, the need for freedom awakened inside of him. But Adrien would have to wait for his Father’s assistant to tell him his schedule before he could sneak out.

“You are to finish the rest of the book “History of the Fae”, and study the remaining Mandarin lessons you have for next week. You must be caught up on all of your assignments by the day’s end. Understood?”

“Understood, Nathalie. Thank you.”

“Good. Now get some rest. You’ll need it if you are to stay efficient. Good Night, Adrien.”

“Good night.”

The words came out mumbled, but by the time he had said them, the cold secretary had already left. Plagg took the opportunity to fly out from his hiding spot underneath the desk to hover in front of his Chosen’s face. The poor boy wore a face of exhaustion seemingly beyond his years. This was one thing he needed to fix. Now.

“Come on Kid. Let’s get out of here, and run for a bit.”

That peaked his attention.

“Are- are you sure, Plagg? I mean, I know you’re still tired and my powers haven’t really lost control lately. Besides, what if someone saw me? What would I do then? Father has always taught me that-”

“Yeah Yeah, ‘It’s too dangerous to go outside.’ Yada yada blech. Listen Kid, it’s not his life, it’s your life, and right now, you need to get out of here. So jump out the window already.”

“But Plagg, it already looks like it’s going to storm and-”

“If you don’t get out there **_right now_ ** , I will personally destroy those windows just so you get outside. _Besides_ , when has a little **storm** ever brought you down? With those huge things on your back, a little rain won’t _do_ anything.”

At that, the young Dégorn chuckled. Standing up from his chair, the boy’s tired mind decided for him as he unfurled his closed up wings. Stretching the tips of his feathers until they surpassed the ache of staying in one place the entire day, his muscles instantly yearned for more. Adrien went over to his bed, and stuffed some pillows underneath the covers in order to avoid suspicion. With that finished, he called upon Plagg’s power given to him through his Miraculous.

“Plagg, Claws Out!” 

A black and green aura surrounded him as a large part of his Kwami’s energy became drained into the paw-printed ring. He had crafted a mask and costume to fit the role of his alter ego, appearing as a cursed black cat. His normally golden feathers faded into a shadowy black as cat-like ears emerged atop his head. Matched with a dark mask that hid his eyes behind that of a feline’s, and a tail wrapped loosely around his dark suit. The costume had been specifically designed to not bother him while airborne, sticking to his skin instead of billowing out.

Since the threat of a storm still loomed over the air, he quickly grabbed a dark jacket from his closet before putting it on and opening a pocket for his exhausted Kwami to fly into. With that done, he walked over to the bar-like windows to his room, and, opening one, he stood on the ledge. Extended his feathers far enough to let them taste the wind and then… he fell.

Before the unforgiving ground could overtake him, he snapped open his wings and soared away until not even the clouds could keep him down. Up there, everything seemed peaceful. With the sun’s rays shining overhead, and a gentle breeze blowing, there were no hiding shadows, no dark crevices in which monsters could lurk. There was only **light**.

Hours after he escaped, the first droplet hit his nose. The cold water pulled him out of his reverie as the clouds around him started to drop their fill as well. He chuckled, shaking his head out of his thoughts as he prepared to turn around, back towards the house that locked him away. Shifting his flight pattern, the dark clouds around him clouded his vision, making him rely solely on his other senses. That’s when his advanced hearing picked up the smallest word, even through the stormy weather, it made him halt in his tracks.

“help…”

Spiraling around, he used his hearing to pinpoint where the plea had come from. Tracing it back to the source, he dove towards it without a second thought. He felt Plagg’s claws press hard against his stomach in surprise at the sudden change, but he didn’t care. Somewhere out in this storm, there was someone in trouble, and by how weak their voice sounded, they could’ve been hurt. The water sprayed against his face so hard he thought it would bruise, but that wouldn’t stop him, not when someone needed his help.

That’s when he saw her.

The girl had jet black hair, and looked soaked to the bone, as if she had been flying through the weather for a while before he found her. What caught his attention however, were the appendages protruding from her back as she fell. Pink tinted _pixie wings_. His hesitation only lasted a fraction of a second when he saw that she was clearly unconscious and in need of assistance. Falling from this height would surely kill her. Diving towards her limp body, he caught her right before she had the chance to hit the rocks protruding from below.

Why was a _fairy_ flying out in this weather? From what he had read, a fairy’s wings were very fragile, unlike his own, they couldn’t withstand really cold temperatures, or huge rainstorms, like the one they were in now. Pushing his questions aside, he carried her bridal style in order to keep her wings from receiving any more damage. Judging from the size of the boulders below him, he deduced they were either in or by some sort of mountain, meaning there should be caves nearby. Finding one big enough to fit both of them comfortably proved harder than he thought. With how large his wings were, it didn’t make matters easy.

Eventually however, he found a sizable gap in the mountainside, leading to a cavern within. It would be tight for him, but it was good enough. Hunching over with the girl still in his arms, he folded his wings in as small as they could go before bursting into the opening. Shaking himself off, he was careful with the pixie as he set her gently down on the ground, and leaned her head on a rock before trying to figure out what to do. She started shivering uncontrollably once he put her down. The only items of clothing she wore were a simple shirt with a blazer covering it, and pink jeans with small flats barely covering her feet, all of which had dirt, mud and water coating them. Everything had been completely soaked through from the rain.

His own jacket was soaked through as well, but he figured it was better than nothing. Taking it off and trying to wring as much water out as he could, he carefully bent down to place it around her shoulders. Before he got the chance however, he noticed something far more serious. One of her pink translucent wings had a large crack stretching across it, almost tearing the wing in half. Adrien had no idea what to do. Would the soaked jacket make it worse? But, she was obviously freezing! But, he didn’t want to hurt her further… Maybe Plagg knew what to do. Unzipping the pocket of his jacket, he started panicking once the small cat surveyed the scene before him.

“Plagg, I don’t know what to do. I mean- I was just flying around, and then I heard someone call for help. So- I didn’t even think, I just went towards the sound because I thought someone was in trouble and then- then I found her. But Plagg! She was just FALLING OUT OF THE SKY! I mean- I’ve _read_ about how delicate a fairy’s wings are, so I don’t know if giving her my wet jacket will make it worse or not! I mean- I tried to get the water out of it, but I can’t just magically make it dry! What do I do?! I don’t want to hurt her!”

“ADRIEN, CALM DOWN! I can’t even _think_ with all your stumbling around! You’re giving me a headache!”

“But Plagg! What if she’s-”

“Dead? I don’t think she’s dead if she’s still breathing. Just calm down. Neither of us can think straight if you keep on babbling about. Now. You should be able to heal her wing before it gets any worse. If you use your magic carefully and **_focus on the tear first,_ **she should be just fine.”

“But what if she wakes up and realizes _what I am?!_ What if I can’t heal her wing correctly?! I mean, I’ve healed before, but not on something **_this bad_ ** . Besides, I- I’ve never healed a _fairy_ before! What if I make it worse and her wing totally breaks off, and then it’s going to be my fault, and then- _”_

“ **WHO CARES?** If she loses a wing, she loses a wing. That won’t be your fault. After all, _she_ was the one flying out in that weather. Now. If you care so much, then calm down and focus your energy on mending the crack. Don’t concentrate on anything else but her wound.”

Taking a deep breath, Adrien hesitantly pulled off the black gloves covering his hands, placing his trembling fingers down on the broken wing as gently as he could. Taking another heavy breath to calm his panicked thoughts, he closed his eyes. Focusing deeply on nothing but **Healing,** he felt the familiar surge of energy leave his fingertips. Plagg watched with satisfaction as his Kitten carefully sewed the fairy’s wing back up until there was nothing but a few minor scratches left. Yet, even those glowed with the bright green magic, and disappeared.

When he felt nothing else that needed to be fixed, the young Dégorn peeled his now exhausted eyes open to reveal a bright green, glowing wing. When the light faded, the surface was relatively clear of any wounds. Adrien felt a swell of pride towards his work before yawning loudly.

“Since I know you won’t just leave her here, you should wait out the nasty weather by taking a nap. Using that much magic when you’ve never done it before will drain you considerably.”

“But-”

“Listen Kid, **I’m** still exhausted from lending my magic to you, and since you don’t have any of my sweet Camembert on you, I’m going to sleep to get my precious energy back somehow.”

“But Plagg- I can’t just-”

“Yes you can, and you will. You’re no help to anyone if you’re this tired. So. Sleeep.”

The cat didn’t leave any room for debate as he flew off to the other side of the cave, out of sight. Without realizing it, the boy’s wings had spread out, and started rubbing against the ceiling of the cave rather uncomfortably. But that’s just what happened whenever he became agitated. Since the cave was too small to stretch them out fully, he settled for pacing back and forth while he attempted to calm his racing mind.

What if she woke up and discovered a **Dégorn** in the same cave as her? Would she be scared? Would she scream? Wait, of course she would be scared! They all saw him as the horrifying creature he was believed to be! What if she didn’t know what he was? With Plagg’s power, his wings were now dark enough that he could maybe just hide? Oh, who was he kidding, his energy had been sapped up from the broken wing. Besides, the cave they were in was far too small to _not_ see them bulking about.

While his mind galloped, his depleted energy caught up to him. But it wasn't until he stumbled that he noticed just how exhausted he really was. With the already long day he had, his body already felt fatigued, but flying that hard through the piercing wind _and_ healing a wound that severe, had significantly swallowed up any remaining scraps of strength.

Finally deciding the girl was still fast asleep, and not shivering as much, he decided to put his jacket around her shoulders in order to keep her warm before he hunched his wings up once more and walked to where Plagg laid across a rock, fast asleep. Putting as much distance between him and the sleeping pixie as he could while he himself laid on the rocky ground, sleep found him the moment his head rested on a rock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and enjoying my story! I'm having a lot of fun writing it! Thanks for leaving a Comment, Kudos, and Hits! See you all later! Bug Out!


	3. Mysterious Savior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when Mari wakes up???

****

While the two teens slept peacefully, the storm outside the cave continued to rage. It was only until a lightning flash struck across the sky, followed closely by roaring thunder that one of the two jolted awake.

Marinette jumped out of her dreamless slumber at the crash of thunder. Her mind still foggy with sleep, she didn’t notice the unfamiliar clothing wrapped around her. Instead, she dug into one of the pockets in her cardigan to find Tikki, in order to make sure she was alright. Finding the little red and black spotted Kwami, she realized there were two layers hiding the little bug from view. Lifting up the large, dark jacket in confusion, her mind instantly sharpened back to reality. Where  _ was _ she? What happened? Why was she in a cave? Did she fly in here and pass out? If so,  **Who's jacket was this?** Tikki, sensing the girl’s questions, remained calm as she helped her remember.

“Marinette, do you remember flying out in the storm?”

“... ye- yes I- I do."

"Okay… do you remember how you got here?"

"All I remember is… the wind… the wind threw me off balance… rain… rain got so strong… too strong… I felt cold… really cold… My wings!”

Throwing the strange coat off of her, she frantically looked over her shoulder to assess the damage her poor wings took. To her surprise, they weren’t as beat up as she expected them to be. A few minor scrapes along the edges of them, but nothing that would leave scars. They weren’t cracked at all. But, how? The severe cold should’ve at least left a split of some sort on her tips, instead, they were  _ warm _ .

“Marinette, listen to me. You fell unconscious while you were flying through the storm.”

“Wait, What?! Wait, if I fell unconscious  _ while I was flying _ , then how in the wide world did I… end up… here? Where even am I? I mean, this is obviously some kind of cave, but- if I didn’t get here myself, then… How am I not dead?! I mean, I’m not dead, right Tikki? Oh my gosh! What if  **I'm dead?!** "

“Marinette calm down, you’re not dead, you’re fine. You’re extremely lucky that he found you when he did.”

“Wait…  **_HE?!_ ** He who?! Some random guy just flying around in the storm as well?! His wings are probably broken because he had to save me! Oh my gosh, what if I  _ killed him?!” _

“Marinette! Just stop and listen to me! You did not  _ kill _ anyone! The boy who  _ saved your life _ was the one that gave you the jacket over there. I was awake the whole time. He wanted to make sure your wings didn’t freeze.”

“Oh… well… where  _ is  _ he then? I should thank him.”

“Well, Marinette- there’s something you should know first… he’s a-”

Before Tikki could finish what she was about to say, the girl’s attention had shifted towards the opposite end of the cave, trying to find her mysterious savior. But what she saw… she had only ever heard of in stories… dark, silky black  **feathers** stared back at her as they surrounded the  _ thing _ in a sort of cocoon. She instantly flinched away from the-.

“ **DEMON?!** ”

Immediately realizing her mistake, she clamped her hands against her mouth, trying desperately not to scream. But, the damage had already been done. Her shout echoed throughout the cave, loud enough that the monster before her jerked awake at the sound. It’s dark green eyes bored into hers as she backed up against the far side of the cavern, as far away as she could manage.

It stood up quickly, as if realizing she was actually watching it. Her wings were now backed up into the stone wall behind her. It had some sort of mask covering its face, with animal-like eyes staring back at her. Her hopes that it was at least fairy-like were dashed away. As if debating with itself, it took one cautious step towards her, most likely deciding how exactly to silence her. But she wouldn't give it the chance too. A high pitched scream tore through her vocal chords as she watched the creature desperately cover the ears  _ on top  _ of it's head. While it was distracted, Marinette made a run for the entrance.

The cold rain instantly ripped away any amount of warmth she had stored in the cave, leaving her freezing and soaked all over again. The beast must've already killed the boy who rescued her from the storm. Weighing her options between flying into the storm again, and going back into the cavern with that monster, she only saw one thing to do. Before she could jump off however, a hand gripped her shoulder, pulling her back from the ledge. Inky black feathers encircled her body as she was pulled back into the cave. 

Not wasting any chance at trying to escape her foe, she immediately started kicking, screaming, and desperately fighting her attacker off before it could finish her. When the creature wouldn’t let go despite her efforts, Marinette’s slim chance of hope slowly closed as the cave surrounded her once more. Up until a voice rang echoed across the rocks behind her.

"Please stop! I don’t want you to get hurt! Please! I'm only trying to help you! You'll freeze your wings off if you try to fly out in that storm again!"

Whipping her head around, she was shocked to find that the boy's voice had come from the very monster pulling her back into the cavern. Once they were both safely out of reach from the raging elements, the creature  _ released her. _ Whipping around, she became ready to fight her way past the tall, lumbering Demon. But to her surprise, it had already turned away from her, shaking the water off like a wet dog before bending down to retrieve something from the ground. It took Marinette more than a few moments to realize, it was holding the same dark jacket she had found out to her. Out of instinct, she immediately shrunk away from it, not letting the thing out of her sight.

"Look… I know, in your eyes, you see me as some kind of horrible monster who's ready to kill you at any moment… I also know I won't be able to tell you otherwise without you thinking it's a trick… But your wings will crack from the severe cold you’ve put them through. I'm not asking you to trust me, but I really do just want to help you. I won't go near you until the storm is over, then you're free to leave without risking any damage."

What was this thing playing at? Pretending not to be the bloodthirsty animal that had killed  **_thousands_ ** of fairies?! Trying to trick her into believing it was actually here to  **_help her?!_ ** No. Way.

She watched its every movement with caution as it set the large coat down on the ground in front of her before backing away slowly. To her shock, it turned its back on her. Without putting her guard down, she prepared for the worst. Except, she didn’t anticipate the creature sitting on a rock, at the far side of the cave with its feathered back turned to her. What was it doing? From where she stood, Marinette could see where the thing’s  _ feathers  _ came out of its back. They were higher up than her own wings, but she could still tell how deformed they looked. Looking down at the sweatshirt on the ground before her, she noticed just how large it was. Carefully turning it over, she discovered two giant rips down the back of it. Holes meant for wings much bigger than her own.

She jumped away from it, suddenly realizing the clothing belonged to the Demon sitting across from her. That thing had put its own jacket over her while she was unconscious.  **_Why?_ ** As she began debating with herself what the creature’s motives might’ve been, a breeze fluttered through from the outside. That’s when Marinette realized just how freezing cold she really was. Pulling her cardigan around her tightly, she started to shiver against the sharp wind. That’s when her Kwami couldn’t stand seeing her Chosen stumble around like this any longer.

"Marinette, just take the jacket."

"But Tikki-”

The tiny goddess quickly cut the pixie’s coming argument off with her own. In that instance, she decided the girl needed to see some sense.

"Marinette, look over at that boy and tell me he's planning to kill you."

"Tikki you don’t understand. He’s a-"

"No, Marinette. _You’re_ not the one who understands. Do you want to know what I see? I see a confused, scared young man who’s terrified of frightening the _pixie_ _he saved_. Marinette, you don’t even know him. How can you start making assumptions about what he’s like when you haven’t even tried talking to him?"

Marinette had nothing to say to that. Maybe her wings didn't get hurt, but her Kwami must've hit her head in the storm.  **Talk to it?!** She may have to tolerate staying in the same space as  **_him_ ** only because she couldn't fly out of here. But  _ talking? _ Their species was obviously capable of speech, but nobody really knows… anything… about… them. Why does he look so hunched over? Wasn't that uncomfortable? With the size of  **those wings** , he wouldn't just hunch over like that for no good reason. What if he's hurt?! What if he got hurt when he saved me?! Oh gosh! Wait,  **what is Tikki doing?!**

The little bug cared for her Chosen. She really did. But over the years, she still hadn’t grown out of her fear of the unknown. She needed to know that sometimes stories are just that.  _ Stories. _ Being the Kwami of Creation, she had been around long enough to witness many things. Including the making of the legend of Demons.. She just had to prove this boy meant no harm.

Meanwhile, Adrien had no idea what he was doing. All he knew was the pixie behind him had been absolutely terrified of him. He should’ve expected it, after all, he was practically a monster from long ago, but he didn't know it would be  _ this bad _ . Asking Plagg for help amounted to nothing as the lazy cat appeared amused at the situation before him. So, all he could think of to do was to sit as far away as possible in order to try and not scare her again. Before he could start panicking again, a small, unfamiliar voice came out of nowhere.

"Greetings, young Dégorn. It's been quite a while since I’ve met one of your kind around these parts."

Poor Adrien didn't know it was just Tikki. Instead, he yelped at the sound, jumping into the air until his head connected with the rocky ceiling. At his misfortune, he heard laughter coming from more than one source. Looking around, the boy glared daggers at Plagg, who was busy rolling around, laughing his head off. That’s when he noticed a small, red creature with black spots appear in his line of sight. Unbeknownst to them, another little pixie was holding in her own bout of laughter.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you. My name is Tikki, I am the Kwami of Creation."

"Uhh- hi- Hi. My name is uh- Adrien- Adrien Agreste. It's- It’s really alright, yo-you have no reason to apologize, I was just- surprised. If you might excuse me but uh- what did you call me?"

Before the little red bug-  _ Tikki-  _ had the chance to respond, Plagg flew out from behind him and tackled her mid-air. Adrien watched as the normally sarcastic, rude Kwami  _ hugged _ Tikki. The boy had no idea what was going on, but what he did know is that the little cat had some explaining to do.

" **_SugarCube!_ ** _ " _

Marinette watched the scene unfold before her with disbelieving eyes. She first watched as Tikki went over to the demon and  _ scared him. _ His reaction had been just like when she herself met the flying bug. Before she could question how, a small, cat-like creature appeared out of nowhere and  **_hugged Tikki_ ** . In fact, the closer she looked at the tiny cat, the more it started to look like the demon, who seemed just as confused as she felt. Just when she was about to ask about what was going on, the thing, now standing, across the cave from her asked the very same question.

“Uh-” Adrien cleared his throat before continuing. “Excuse me, but uh- would you mind telling me what’s going on here? Plagg hates showing affection of any kind.”

The said Kwami ignored him as usual, instead focusing on his SugarCube. But the bug thankfully showed more courtesy than the cat, as she was the one to respond to his question while speaking over her Stinky Sock’s shoulder to do so.

“Oh- excuse us. But- we just haven’t seen each other in well- nearly a millennia now. As you might know, us Kwamis have been around quite a long time, but the last time we both had holders during the same time period was when…the …”

The little bug dropped her gaze as her normally cheerful attitude dissipated into one of great sorrow. Letting go of Plagg, she reached one of her paws up to wipe what he would guess was a tear from her face. Adrien immediately felt guilty. Perhaps he shouldn’t have said anything. For his simple question had obviously hit a sore spot for her.

“I’m so sorry- I- I really didn’t mean to make you cry. I was just curious because you obviously know Plagg somehow and- I’m really sorry, please forgive my ignorance.”

“Kid. The last time we saw each other… was when the Nerixis began.”

Blood instantly drained from the boy's face, causing a certain pixie’s curiosity to peak. His feathers ruffled behind him at the mention of his people’s past. He stumbled back until he was sitting down once more. His eyelids slid shut as images from long- buried memories were brought to the forefront of his mind. The voice that came from his mouth trembled as fear quickly took over his very being. Choked words answered the two Kwamis as he relentlessly tried to gather himself.

“How- how is that possible? _ The- The _ \-  _ That  _ started… over  _ three hundred  _ years ago… That- that can’t be-  _ How? _ ”

Marinette had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that just by the mention of the strange word, the demon before her had become instantly terrified. Despite herself, a trickle of sympathy began to burn towards the petrified creature. Before she could second guess her thinking, her voice sprouted a question that had grown with each scene she witnessed.

“Excuse me. But… What’s the Nay-rix?”

Three sets of eyes snapped to her, making her regret ever opening her mouth. The demon looked at her for but a second, before reverting its gaze back to the ground in front of it. But that split second was enough to see the pain hidden behind his cat-like eyes. The exposure had been fleeting, but that didn't stop Marinette from feeling a certain amount of shame wash over her. Had she said something wrong? While she became stuck in her thoughts trying to figure out what had made him so upset all of a sudden, the smaller cat-like creature wasted no time in flying right up to her face and practically spitting at her.

“Are you meaning to tell me that you expect me to believe that you don’t know what the Nerixis is?! What do you take me for,  **_Pixie_ ** _? _ A Fool? I was there when it happened!”

“ _Plagg._ That’s enough _._ ”

“That’s enough?! I’m just getting started! This _weakling_ **knows what** **her people have done!** She knows full well what happened in her race’s history! Yet, she’s trying to play off the innocent card with me?! **It’s sickening!** ** _She’s_** **sickening!** ”

“ _ Plagg- _ ”

“I’m sick of it, Adrien! I’m absolutely sick of seeing you force yourself down because of **_her people’s_** beliefs!”

“ _ Plagg- _ ”

“The Dégorn were proud and strong people! They never cared about what the others said about them! They continued to live through what was thrown at them for  **_centuries!_ ** But one day all of that changed because some  **_Fairy-!”_ **

“ **Plagg, I said that was enough!** ”

The demon stood to its full height, sending inky black feathers crawling along the cavern’s walls, depriving it of what little light came from the storm outside, and making Marinette tumble into darkness. The only thing visible were the demon’s glowing eyes. Just as the little amount of light was snuffed out, another kind of light spilled through every seam, every crack of the cave until she realized the ink was gone. When the bright green light disappeared, it left behind a boy with creamy, golden wings.

“ _ Listen Plagg. _ I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again… I am a monster. I have been since I was born… No manner of argument will change that fact. I know what started the Nerixis.  **_I know_ ** because I’m one of the ones who made everything worse…”

The now-bright feathers retreated back to their owner as Marinette watched in awe as the creature before her changed shape. Whatever that green burst of energy had been, she didn’t know. But now, as she watched the demon’s face, she saw no dark mask surrounding its face. She was shocked to find normal, green eyes, so unlike the animalistic ones she had seen before. It’s dark clothes had somehow shifted to lighter ones as it became more fairy-like than she realized. Before her very eyes, it had become more like a normal boy with deformed wings.

The small black cat that had flown up to the pixie’s face now faced his Holder. He watched as his face warred between rage and remorse. Plagg’s demeanor immediately softened as he floated over to rest before the boy's face.

"You and I both know that's  **not true** , so don't even try. Just because your lame excuse of a father makes you believe that lie, doesn't mean I will. You are not a  **_Demon_ ** in any sense. You are a  **Dègorn.** Anyone who says otherwise..."

Plagg paused to look back at the fairy, sending her a withering glare that spoke volumes enough to prove his point, before promptly turning back to his Chosen.

“... I will pay them a personal visit myself, and knock that line of thinking out of their heads.  **_Permanently._ ** ”

Although Marinette couldn’t hear what the small cat had said, she knew it wasn’t anything good for her, considering the scowl she had received from it.She didn’t even know what was going on. All she knew was that her curiosity had caused an outburst on the subject of the “Narix” thing. So, straying away from that for now, she found there were still many questions burning greater than her fear. Remembering Tikki’s words earlier, she forced herself to step towards the demon and small floating cat, stopping only a few feet away from the both of them. When both their gazes rested on her, she found her anxiety fighting against her curiosity. But, this time, she wouldn’t allow it.

"I- I'm really sorry but I just- I’m just curious- what-what's a daygorn thing? I- I mean I’ve never heard that term in any of my History or Biological studies, a- and you've brought it up several times now. But I’m also not certain of anything they’ve taught us anymore because y-you look and act the very opposite of- of what your…  _ people  _ were described as."

Adrien looked away from the curious fairy, ashamed that she had escaped his notice long enough to walk right up to him. He should never have detransformed. Especially not in front of her. Calling upon Plagg’s power once more, his perfect, golden feathers blended into the darkness around them, partially hiding them from view. That done, he swept past both the pixie and his Kwami, arriving at the small entrance in a few paces. The cat ears resting atop his head instantly flattened at the shriek behind him.

“How- how did you  **do that?!** I- Your wings are just gone! How did you do that? Also, what’s with the bright green light and your- your  _ wings _ changing color? How did that even happen? I-I mean, according to the books I’ve read, that shouldn’t even be possible. Unless… ohmygosh. Are you capable of having  **_abilities?!_ ** This changes everything we know about you-”

“The storm has calmed down enough for you to fly home safely. You should get back before someone notices you’re gone. Be careful of the boulders this time.”

The boy looked back at her from the entrance of the cave, and for a split second, she didn’t see the horrifying demonic creature she had been taught to fear. Instead, she saw the face of a mysterious boy forcing himself to leave because he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. 

_ He was afraid. _

He was afraid of how she would react if he stayed any longer. But before Marinette could say anything, he was gone. Desperately running towards the entrance proved futile as he seemed to disappear into thin air.

Unfurling his great wings, the wind caught them instantly, taking him away. Away from everything. Away from every _ one _ . He had to get home. Staying out this long was a huge risk, and even if he could have left at any time regardless of the weather, he had found  _ he couldn’t _ . He just couldn’t… And he didn’t know why.

Marinette didn’t know what to think. First, the monster from her childhood stories, the demon she had learned so much about her entire life… was **_real._** Except… she didn’t even think about what he was like in person other than what it showed in the illustrations… he didn’t act like a creature designed to kill her… he was just… **_a normal boy._** _He_ was the one afraid of _her._ He _clearly_ had magical abilities, just like her… **_He saved her life_**. He saved the life of his most feared enemy, and even stuck around to make sure she was alright afterwards. Giving her his jacket so she wouldn’t be cold. What kind of monster does that? Not the one Marinette knew…

“He didn’t just save your life…”

Whipping around, she came face to face with her Kwami.

Marinette had momentarily forgotten about Tikki’s presence. She had been so caught up in struggling to understand the boy’s motives that she didn’t see the little bug come up to her.

“What- what- do you mean?”

“When you were flying through the storm, just before you fell unconscious, your right wing almost tore in half.”

“WHAT?! But- but I checked my wings right after I woke up! They- they didn’t have any damage done to them! They were- they were… perfect. But… how?”

“The moment your wing tore was the moment you collapsed from the pain. That’s when Adrien found you in the storm. He took you to this cave and saw your damaged wing. Marinette, he didn’t just save you from the weather. He  _ healed  _ you as well.”

“What? But- but- but Demons- His People have never had recorded gifts. Even if he does have powers, if he  **healed my broken wing,** changed the color of his feathers,  _ and  _ turned from a cat person into a regular person, kind of, then that would mean… He has  **_three abilities?!_ ** But-  _ that’s not possible!  _ All fairies are only capable of… one… but- he’s not a fairy…”

“The amount of energy it took for him to heal a wound that severe had an immense toll on him. The fact that he could even heal a broken wing means that he’s rather powerful with his abilities, and that he’s had them for quite some time. It drained all of his strength to fix your wing. That’s why he passed out before you woke up."

  
Marinette didn’t know what to believe. Glancing back at her rose colored wings, there wasn't any type of scar to prove Tikki's claim. Yet, she knew what her Kwami had said was true. Flying up next to her Chosen with the forgotten jacket in tow, the tiny god watched as the pixie gazed out over the misty gorge, with a wistful expression placed gently on her face. But as Marinette looked out over the canyon before her, she found herself wondering and even  _ hoping _ that deep down, she would be able to meet the Demon boy again… And she didn’t know why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, Golden Weirdo's back with another chapter of Fae before school starts... ugh not excited for that. But, here ya go! The "Cave Scene". I just wanted to thank all of you guys for the support you've given this new story. Whether in Comments, Kudos, or Hits, I really appreciate it. But this all wouldn't be possible without my Executive Editor (Incredibly Average One), or else these chapters wouldn't be quite the same. ;) So, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and Thanks for Reading! (Also good luck to all those who have school next week).


	4. Homeward Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where someone cares

The dark jacket wrapped itself loosely around her shoulders as she trudged along the muddy path home. Picking back through the forest, her mind stretched into thousands of directions at once, trying to sort through various pieces of information about what she had witnessed. Categorizing them until she was able to write them down in her diary. With her head stuck in the clouds, and Tikki directing her way past any large tree limbs, she didn’t notice when the city came into view.

She definitely didn’t notice when her two best friends cried out for her, frantic in their search to find her. As they came rushing towards her, Marinette was tackled to the ground into a fierce hug.

Alya.

“Girl! Where have you been?! We’ve both been worried sick! I totally didn't expect that huge storm to roll in! I’m so sorry! It’s my fault we got separated! I’m the one who forced you to come to the Canyon with us! Thankfully, Nino and I were able to find a cave near us when that freak typhoon swept through! But, we didn’t realize you weren’t following us and- Girl we thought you-I’m Sorry! Oh, Marinette, you were right! We should never have gone into that weird Gorge in the first place!”

The initial shock of being thrown to the ground wore off, and Marinette soon came to her senses, realizing just who had found her. Hearing endless amounts of apologies spewing from the fairy before her, she became quick to reassure them both. Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, the pixie encouraged Alya of her good well-being.

“Hey! Hey! It’s alright! Alya, I’m alright. It wasn’t your fault. I’m fine, see? None of us knew that would happen when we went there. That storm threw us all off guard. It's okay. You have nothing to worry about. I’m safe.”

After making sure she was really alright, Alya helped her best friend up off the ground. Once standing, the brunette threw Marinette into another bone-crushing hug. Nino stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with immense relief. Even though they continuously teased him about worrying too much, this time he wasn’t the only one to be over exaggerating.

“Oh dude, I’m so glad you made it through that freak storm safely! I mean, I tried telling Alya you would be fine, but she didn’t believe me! You have no idea how long I had to listen to her worrying about you, especially when I was just as terrified! That weather came out of nowhere! I mean, what happened back there, anyway? I thought you were right behind us! How did you get through the storm alright? If you weren’t with us, where’d you go? Also, what’s with the weird jacket?”

Up until that moment, Marinette’s mind saw only relief at seeing her two best friends safe and sound, momentarily forgetting what happened. When she heard Nino point out the piece of unfamiliar clothing still wrapped around her shoulders, everything came crashing down. Flying through the wind, waking up in the cave with an extinct creature, and learning more about him and his Kind than what she had been taught all her life.

As Alya finally pulled back to see what Nino was talking about, the pixie didn’t waste time demanding answers. Answers to which Marinette herself lacked… and Needed. But what could she tell them? Hey, you know that ancient species that was meant to kill our People? You know how they’ve been extinct for longer than anyone can remember? Well, guess what! They’re real! Yeah No. There was no way she could say that. She would end up sounding as crazy as her best friend. Although, perhaps Alya wasn’t that far off…

“I-um, I’m not entirely sure where I got the jacket from. All- all I remember is that I-uh, got the wind knocked out of me somehow and then I woke up in a cave on the other side of the gorge. There um- There wasn’t- anyone there, but the jacket was just around my shoulders, keeping me warm. I- I don’t know whose it is.”

Marinette internally cringed at the horrible lie she just made up, but that didn’t matter when she saw Alya practically light up with excitement. Her red orange wings beat so fast behind her, it would’ve put hummingbirds to shame. P wondered if it was too late to tell them what actually happened… 

“Oh. My. Gosh! Are you saying that you were possibly found by someone in the canyon?! But, we didn’t see anyone else when we came in… and other Fairies are way too scared to come in here alone...” She paused for just a moment to gasp loudly, an idea suddenly coming to her. “What if there’s someone  **_living_ ** in the canyon?! I mean, it would make the most sense because if you didn’t see who it was that took you to safety, that means they obviously didn’t want to be seen! Maybe they’re hiding there! Are you sure you didn’t see  _ anything else?” _

This time, Marinette hesitated. She had  _ seen _ a lot. But even if she decided to tell her friends about the Demon boy, would they even believe her? She had always been the one to doubt Alya’s crazy theories, but now, she wasn't any better. If anything, she  **should** tell them about the Demon. Then, they would be able to track him down and then… then… what? Even if her friends believed her outlandish tale, their first instinct would be to call the police, but… what would they do to him? She thought of them finding him in that same cave, the one he brought her to after willingly saving her life, ready with weapons to arrest him… or worse. She could already see the look in his eyes as he pleaded with them to let him go. But, even then, would he even retaliate? The image of him leaving the cave came to her mind. The amount of pure  _ Terror _ he held in his eyes answered her question…

“No. I didn’t see anything else…”

Why was she defending the Monster of her nightmares? A Creature so vile that no amount of mercy was given when It's People slaughtered her Kind. So why did she suddenly feel sick at the prospect of him in chains? And when had the Demon become nothing but a scared boy to her? She needed to find out…

She needed to find him again. Wherever he was…

  
  


****

As Adrien quickly blended the light seeping through the canyon, he quickly hid himself in the dark shadows cast by the canyon’s walls. He wasted no time in escaping. Unfurling his great wings, he soared through the darkness that effectively hid him from view. He should’ve been worried about getting home in time. Should've been thinking of excuses to use when Nathalie discovered he wasn’t in his room. Should’ve been terrified of what his  _ Father  _ would say about his unconventional behavior. But the boy’s thoughts had strayed from their regular roads. They found something far more interesting to dwell on. The Pixie Girl.

With her pink, fluorescent wings sparkling in the light that came from the entrance, he had noticed how afraid she was of him, but there was also something else about her. She seemed horrified by his presence, but her eyes told of another emotion he couldn’t quite place. Confusion? Determination? Madness? Adrien shook the last thought out of his mind. If she survived being with  **_him_ ** for that long, and still retain the ability to even speak, she wasn’t crazy. But, why did she talk to him?

His People were known as monsters. Demons, as the Fae called him. So why did she even bother speaking to him? As he reached the massive windows connecting to his room, he wore off his transformation, leaving him with less answers to his growing questions. He barely noticed as Plagg flew off somewhere, grumbling about Fairies and his precious Camembert. Adrien collapsed onto his bed, feeling completely drained from the events that had happened in a matter of hours. His sleepy gaze made its way to the huge appendages he often considered as the Bane of his Existence. The sight of golden feathers peeking over the white over shirt he wore was enough to sicken his resolve, causing him to roll his head away from them before succumbing to a World of Dreams.

Blurry images danced to life as they began their quest of depicting a painting that described the past and the present. First appeared a girl made from the Midnight Sky itself, tiny pink flowers flowed through her Being as she came into existence. She radiated light and color. Spreading gifts and life to every corner of her precious world. But, as she created more and more, her world fell into chaos. She couldn’t understand why. Why did everything she made turn to ash? That’s when she met It.

A creature made not of light and color, but of the remains of such beautiful creations. Born of Ash and gifted with Darkness, she watched in horror as It bathed everything in the ink it was made. Deciding the only way to revive her Gifts and end the Darkness once and for all, the Being of Pure Light began her chase. The cowardly Monster took countless years to catch up to. But when she did, the ink shrank away as the goddess approached closer. Closer. Closer.

Until she fabricated a sword with scarlet tip and golden roses from her gentle fingertips. She stood, accusing the Monster of killing her Kind, and destroying her lands without any reasoning. The cries and pleas from the Ink fell on deaf ears as she raised her mighty weapon and-.

The scene disintegrated before the Demon, leaving a terrified boy hoping, wishing, praying that this was just another Nightmare. Another subconscious trick.

From across the room, Plagg watched as his Kit fell asleep soundlessly for what felt like the first time in decades. Even after his impromptu nap in the cavern, the boy was still recovering from the loss of energy, though he would never admit it. But Plagg knew. _He knew_ it was because of the magic Adrien had used on that **_Fairy_**. The very same Pixie that Tikki had chosen as her Holder of Creation. Normally, Plagg would never dare question his SugarCube’s choices of Wielders, too much, that is. But, this time… it was unforgivable. 

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

And nobody saw it except him.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The truth was… Tikki didn’t know Adrien, she had just met him, and even then, the kid played the “nice boy” he was programmed to be. Plagg loved her, but SugarCube was still too blind to believe anything but what she saw in front of her. She had seen the perfectly shy, quiet kid who was born with a different set of wings. She didn’t know Adrien Agreste. And she would probably never know him. Not like the God of Destruction did.

Although he had always been known as the Entity of Selfishness, when it came to his Chosens, that’s because there was a  **reason** for it… Reasons that Creation couldn’t even begin to understand.

As the Black Cat finished off his gooey Cheese, he flew over to the massive bed adorning the room before him, allowing a single, watery drop to make its way down his cheek as he gazed forlornly towards the young Dégorn.. Let it be known that Plagg never cried for His Chosen. He cried for His Kitten.

His Kitten who curled into himself when talking to his Father. His Kitten who would attempt to hide his wings before setting foot outside this bedroom because he was afraid. His Kitten who broke down with impossibly silent tears as he geared up to run. His Kitten who had just begun his routinely thrashing, twisting, and whimpering every night he tried to sleep.

The Kwami quickly buried himself into Adrien’s neck, purring loudly in a desperate effort to confront the Nightmares that continued to enslave the young boy’s mind. Though scenes of him struggling in his attempts of waking up sweaty and tear-filled weren’t uncommon, for some reason, tonight left a deeper mark inside the Black Cat. Something broke inside of him. The feeling wasn’t totally unfamiliar, but the fact that it hadn’t happened for years concerned him beyond words.

He was growing attached.

As the boy continued to toss and turn relentlessly, Plagg didn’t know what to do. No matter what he tried, nothing seemed to help his Kid sleep peacefully. So, when Adrien’s warmth disappeared, and sweat collected on his brow, the little cat didn’t dare move. Placing a paw on the side of his face, and whispering comforts into his ear, the lull of sleep eventually took them both deeper into its clutches.

When the first soft rays of sunlight finally trickled in through the windows barring any way to freedom, Adrien peeled his eyelids away from the Jaws of Slumber. He found his blankets long kicked away, and his damp face sunken deep into a velvety pillow. Gently flipping himself over, golden strands stuck to his forehead while he chose instead to stare at the ceiling above him. While his wings protested at the amount of weight put on them suddenly, he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. He heard a faint purr resonate next to him as a gentle smile pulled at his lips.

The boy knew what his nights were like, and he felt sorry for Plagg. Although the sarcastic Kwami didn’t like showing affection very often, Adrien knew he cared about him. He even knew that the little cat sometimes stayed up all night in an attempt to comfort him through his nightmares. The only reason his actions didn’t go unnoticed was that whenever Plagg stayed up, he slept throughout the day without touching a single piece of his Camembert. It didn’t take long for him to connect the dots.

Although he appreciated the effort, it left Adrien drowning in his own dread, guilty for making his friend stay up all night because of him.

At that moment, his Father’s assistant, Nathalie, decided to knock on his door, reminding him to freshen up for Breakfast with his Father. Hearing that, the boy automatically leapt from his bed and ran for the shower. Standing under the steaming water, Adrien hoped with all his heart that his Father would actually be there instead of flaking at the last moment, making him eat in the grand dining room, alone.

Getting out, and drying himself off, the wet feathers weighed down his back, reminding him of the inevitable meal he would have with his Father, who couldn’t stand seeing the massive appendages in any circumstance. Toweling them off so they wouldn’t drip, he quickly got changed into fresh clothes. Rather than putting his wings through the holes he cut in his jackets and shirts, Adrien grabbed a brand new over shirt, with no such impairments made. Sliding it over the golden mass, he tried his best to make them as unnoticeable as possible.

Finally, with his hair combed, wings hidden, and teeth brushed, he strolled past his dozing Kwami and out of the prison he called a room. Folding his  _ extremities  _ in as close to his body as he could, Adrien stood to his full height and took careful, measured steps into the Dining Room. A quick glance towards the end of the table revealed that there was no one there. The boy easily deflated at the sight as he shuffled into his seat. Perhaps his Father was running late…

After about an hour and a half passed, the boy’s tiny hopes were finally ripped from his grasp, and broken. While his feathers sagged unconsciously behind him, Adrien slowly stood up. His appetite now gone, he turned away from the cold food and headed back to his room. But, as reached the stairway, he heard the softest squeak behind him. If it weren’t for his heightened senses since wielding Plagg’s power, he would have overlooked it entirely. Whipping around, Adrien soon found himself nearly face to face with Gabriel Agreste, his Father.

His tongue glued itself to the roof of his mouth instantly while his legs shuddered beneath him. The boy stood there, gawking at the appearance of his absent parent. Only when he saw the frown deepening on the man’s face did he snap out of it. Standing straight while his exhausted wings folded up once more, a solemn expression made its way onto his features as Adrien prepared to talk. Except, his hands started trembling as another tremor engulfed his senses. He hadn’t seen Father for a whole month! Now was his chance to actually talk to him! But, before he had the opportunity to open his mouth, Gabriel beat him to it.

“What are you still doing out here? I thought you were supposed to be practicing your Piano lessons by now.”

His Father had always been very curt and to-the-point when talking to him, but this time, Adrien was caught off guard, taking more than a few seconds to stutter out an answer.

“I-uh- I was just- waiting for yo-you, Father. I- I thought we were eating dinner together.”

His horrible attempt at speaking rewarded him with a deeper scowl, making the boy’s semi-hidden wings fluff out in fear. Unfortunately, the action didn’t go unnoticed. As steel grey eyes pierced the traitorous feathers peeking out from his makeshift cover, more and more got pushed into the open while Adrien became more anxious under his Father’s gaze.

“Control yourself, Adrien. It is not suitable for an Agreste to act so unruly.”

Ashamed of his actions, the boy’s emerald green eyes soon found their way staring down at the polished tiles, practically boring holes into them so he might escape.

“Sorry, Father. It won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t. Nathalie will bring your dinner to your room from now on since you can’t seem to organize yourself better.”

With that, Adrien was left downtrodden at the end of the staircase beside him, overwhelmed with grief and anger directed at his own limbs. He barely remembered trudging his feet up the stairs and into his room, where Plagg now stood floating nearby. Taking one look at his Chosen’s fallen expression and sapped energy, the Kwami knew he had just talked to his so-called “Father”. A familiar sense of Fury coursed through his veins at the thought that the Kid’s Dad could do this to him so easily. _He needed to Cataclysm something,_ **now.**

When Adrien softly called on his power, Plagg didn’t so much as flinch. The boy needed to get out of here permanently, and one day, the God of Destruction would make  _ Sure _ of that, but right now, his Kid didn’t need another lecture. Right now, he needed Chat Noir.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!!! Chapter 4 is here!! FINALLY!!!! Thank you so much for being patient with me while I try to write my stories and do school at the same time! Comments, Kudos, Bookmarks, and even Silent Support are ALL appreciated greatly!!! Hope y'all Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, and Follow Safety Precautions because COVID is very much still out there! But, that won't stop me from writing my Fanfiction!!!! What do you think will happen??? How will Mari really react to finding and meeting a DEMON?!?! Find out next chapter that I will start writing tomorrow!!! Thanks again!!! Gotta Scat!!!


	5. Distant Cries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the past...

“No. I didn’t see anything else…”

Why was she defending the Monster of her nightmares? A Creature so vile that no amount of mercy was given when It's People slaughtered her Kind. But why was she suddenly sick at the prospect of him in chains? And when had the Demon become nothing but a scared boy to her? She needed to find out…

She needed to find him again.

  
  


****

  
  


Alya knew her best friend. She knew her like the back of her own hand. Happy, sad, nervous, you name it. She knew Marinette. But, she also knew when the Pixie was  _ lying _ . Even if she wasn’t a convincing liar  _ at all _ , she only lied when it was something important. In this instance, important enough to hide from her best friends, apparently. But, she trusted the Fairy. She would come clean eventually. Sometimes, she just needed a little push…

Alya suddenly hanging off her arm the whole way back to the city was not something Marinette looked forward to. Or expected. She didn’t even understand why she was acting like this. The thought that she was just scared of them being separated again crossed her mind, but one look at her best friend’s face told otherwise. Determination had practically been carved into her hazel brown eyes.

She wanted to know something. And Marinette felt a foreboding sense telling her what exactly Alya wanted to know… 

Even with Tikki nestled away in her hand-stitched purse, the Fairy’s luck didn’t last long. When Alya was fixated on something, she never let her query go unanswered. That rule became subject to Marinette  _ very quickly. _ As they were entering the city’s borders and on their way back to the Bakery, the headstrong Pixie practically vibrated with either excitement or need, of which was unclear. But still, she said nothing. Up until the familiar signature of Tom and Sabine’s Patissiere came into view.

Marinette’s world spun around, hands grasped her shoulders, straightening her just as fast, only to end up on eyes alight with blazing flames beneath their surfaces.

“Alright, girl! I’ve let you go this entire trip without saying anything! But, now it’s time to fess up! What  _ really _ happened in that gorge?!”

Although she knew they were coming, the words were out of Alya’s mouth faster than Marinette could process them. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do? Thankfully, she didn’t even have to say anything as her parents ran out of the building, and started yelling her name.

“Marinette!”

“Marinette! Where have you been? Where have all of you been? We’ve been worried sick!”

Her mom came up and hugged her immediately. More and more questions were volleyed toward the Pixie as she struggled to make them out. By the time she was about to assure her Mother’s panicked expression, the three of them were being shuffled into the entrance of her family’s business. Alya was still giving her a face that practically screamed. ‘Answers. NOW.’ Marinette bit her lip. She wasn’t only confused, she was  _ afraid. _ She couldn’t even tell her friends when they were alone. Now that her parents were here, the truth seemed almost impossible to get out. So, she used one of her oldest excuses.

“I- uh- I’m actually not feeling too good, Maman. I think I’ll just take a nap up in my room, if that’s okay.”

“Of course! Of course! You all must be exhausted! You go take your nap, and Alya, Nino, if you’d like to stay and eat dinner with us, you’re welcome to-”

Marinette didn’t hear what else her Maman said as she left the room, and started climbing the stairs to their apartment. Once she finally opened the trap door leading to her bedroom, the Fairy collapsed onto her chaise. Despite the lie she had told both her friends and parents, a nap sounded heavenly at that moment. But, just as her mind started to drift away, a familiar voice snapped her awake.

“Marinette. We need to talk.”

Flinching back so hard she fell off the little couch, Mari wasted no time in identifying the sickly sweet words. Tikki. Her Kwami. That existed somehow. That she still needed an explanation from. Groaning, she pulled herself into a sitting position while the little, red bug came to hover before her face. Fluttering out her tired wings, she moved past the bug to reach her desk. Grabbing a dark, soothing fabric, she began outlining a design.

"Marinette."

Without warning, she immediately cringed. The Kwami was beginning to sound like her Mother. Without tearing her focus away from the inky material, Marinette hummed in response.

"What happened today?"

Out of all the things Tikki could've said, this wasn't one she expected. About to call her out, and say the bug had been there the whole time, Marinette realized with a start, that Tikki was asking what  _ she _ thought happened today.

"I-"

She hesitated. Why did she hesitate? Both of them knew who-  _ what _ she met, yet, the very word seemed to stick in her throat.

"-don't know."

Instead of the exasperated look anyone else would give her, Tikki's blue eyes radiated only sympathy.  _ Why? _ Deciding to give her Kwami an  _ actual _ answer, the Pixie sifted through her memories. The storm. The cave. The  **Boy** . For she couldn't bring herself to call him anything else.  _ What had happened to her? One trip to a cave, and suddenly the most ferocious creatures in Fae history was nothing but a boy? _

"All legends are full of falsehoods, if you look closely."

Marinette stared at the bug for a good while.  _ Can she read minds? _ That thought further emancipated her belief that she knew close to nothing about Tikki.

"Oh Marinette. No, I can't read minds. Your emotions just shine through clearer than others. That, and I've been around a while longer than you have."

"How- how  _ old  _ are you exactly?"

"You're changing the topic."

"Please? I'm just curious."

"If you must know, I have watched over Ladybugs from the very Beginning."

_ Beginning of what? _ And what- or who- was this “Ladybug”? The question lay desperately on her tongue, waiting to be released, but one look at the Kwami told her now was not the time. Swallowing any similar thought processes, Marinette glanced down at the fabric beneath her fingertips. The silky, soft material eased her fears- if by a fraction- as she began flustering around her words, trying relentlessly to make Tikki understand.

"What do I call him, Tikki? Why do I feel so confused? I mean- all my life, I’ve been taught about his Kind, but, I never thought they were  **Real!** He's just supposed to be a- a Creature from a Story, a  _ Children _ 's Story. But- but now he’s real, and I don’t- he didn't act like a monster at- at all. If anything, he was almost- helping me? I just don’t know what to believe anymore! Why do I keep trying to justify his actions? He’s a  _ Demon _ . Is there something wrong with  _ me?" _

"There is nothing wrong with you, Marinette. Sometimes myths are just based on events not fully understood by the people who wrote them.”

“So… what? Is he actually a giant bunny rabbit underneath all those  _ feathers? _ What are you trying to tell me, Tikki? That I should  **trust** him? That he won't try and kill me the next time we meet? I don't understand…"

The tiny Goddess looked at her frightened, disoriented Chosen with cascading warmth. She had seen many of her Bugs go through a similar process innumerable times, yet each had been different from the last, each needing distinct answers. For instance, Marinette still hadn't uncovered her own gifts. Nor had she asked Tikki about hers. No, the little Fairy was too wrapped up in her own People's History to worry about the very thing she wanted most. However, looking at her Holder now, she realized the girl just needed to see. Badly. 

So, deciding the best course of action to take, Tikki decided to tell the truth. While the Embodiment of Creation struggled to tap into those specific memories, she knew she had to. For her Chosen.

“Marinette. Look at me.”

Surprised by the commanding voice, the girl did just that, with wide eyes, confusion lining her every movement.

“I have been the Kwami for countless Ladybugs in the past. Every one had to face constant battles, either against a villain, or against themselves. But Marinette, you haven’t yet awakened your powers, and you’re already fighting yourself. Now, that boy you met today, he’s not a Demon. I understand how you see him as such, but his People have long been discarded by the Fae.

But… long ago, that wasn’t such the case.

His People used to be known as the Dègorn.

A powerful species of Fae sworn to protect those who could not protect themselves.”

“Wha- How is that possible? Growing up, I’ve always learned that the Demons were vicious, bloodthirsty Creatures from ancient times. That- That they wouldn’t hesitate in picking my bones apart to eat. S-so why should I believe a story tha-that says the exact opposite from a- a Being no one’s heard of or seen before? No offense… ”

Tikki dropped down onto her Holder’s desk, her strength quickly dissipating. This was going to be harder than she thought… Although she couldn’t blame the girl for her accusations, the Kwami realized she wouldn’t understand unless she  _ saw the Truth for herself.  _ What she was about to do took a lot of energy, and a lot of willpower, but Marinette had to learn, if not from her, than from Time itself.

“Marinette, do you want to know how I know this?”

“Well… yes, but-”

“Marinette. Do you wish to  **see** that what I’m saying is true?”

“What- where are you going with this, Tikki?”

“Just answer the question, please.”

“Well- um- yeah, but how am I supposed to  _ see _ this ‘Truth’? The Legend of Demons spans back over three or four hundred years ago…”

“All you have to do is say ‘Spots On’, and I will show you what I know.”

“Spots On? What’s that supposed to-”

Marinette suddenly felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside out. She tried to scream, to call for Tikki, anything, but Sound was boundless and empty in this space. The Pixie was hurtled around like a rag doll for what felt like hours of falling into a dark abyss. She didn’t even realize as her clothes were replaced with a a red, black-spotted suit. Just when her eyelids began shifting closed, solid ground fell beneath her. Landing in a patch of green, Marinette carefully lifted herself up on sore elbows, her head pounding from the Void, and the effort of taking in unfamiliar surroundings.

“ughhh- Tikki? What happened?”

“Tikki! Where are you?”

At the sound of another person’s voice, Marinette forgot her stiff limbs and sprang up, desperately looking around for the source, deciding whether to hide or not. Her gaze set upon a girl with short, auburn hair sitting atop her head, and crystal white wings fluttering behind her. She didn’t seem to notice the Pixie standing there, gaping openly at how this Fairy knew her Kwami’s name. That is, until her cerulean blue eyes landed on Marinette.

“There you are, Tikki! I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Where have you been? Don’t tell me my terrible cookies scared you away!”

Before Mari could think to answer the mysterious Fairy, a familiar wisp of red appeared in front of her.

“Of course not, Nanari! I know you’re trying your best!”

The girl burst out laughing. Holding her stomach, she bent over, nearly falling into the grass trampled by boot prints. Somehow, she didn’t fall, instead gliding to the Earth, and rested her wings behind her, all while struggling to choke out words in between laughter.

“I- Wow- That’s sure… one way… to say… how horrible… I am… at baking…”

“Oh! I should also tell you, I just met up with Plagg, and apparently a certain  _ Taurin _ finished his training early, and is on his way here right now~”

This time, she actually did fall over.

“Wait- What?! Tar’s on his way here now?! Why didn’t you tell me sooner! Tikki! He’s been gone for ages, and you don’t bother telling me when he’s coming back?!”

Although her shouting seemed to be accusatory, there was no real anger behind her words as the girl-  _ Nanari _ \- was too wrapped up in her own head. Marinette simply watched as confusion and shock mixed through her veins, leaving her an outsider to this world. She didn’t even recognize this girl, or her name, for that matter. Nobody nowadays had such unusual sounding names. So, where is she? Before she could call out to the Fairy before her, perhaps for comfort or answers, a ripple shot through Mari. The sensation was like nothing she had ever felt before. Though, thinking back, nothing like this has ever happened before… Looking down at her hands to try and explain the feeling of waves beneath her skin, she noticed with a shock, they weren’t there anymore.

Instead of her calloused, delicate fingertips, she beheld  _ spots _ .

“Gah!”

Throwing herself backward, she half-noticed a personage going **straight** **through her.** She would’ve questioned it, but at the moment, Marinette was too busy trying not to scream. Rubbing insistently at the red and black patterns covering her hands, she soon realized that, without a doubt, these were some sort of gloves covering her hands. Gloves that wouldn’t come off. As soon as she raised a hand to her mouth to try and rip it off somehow, a voice stopped her in her tracks. Unlike Tikki’s or the Fairy- er- Nanari’s voices, this one was much richer, and **_deeper._**

“Could you explain to me why Tikki visited me the moment I got home? I mean, at first, I just assumed she missed me, but now I realize it’s probably ‘cause she was attempting to hide from your baking.”

Looking up, Mari found herself gazing at not one but  **_two_ ** perfectly identical Fairies. Both of which shared the same face, yet had the opposite of voices. With her mouth gaping open like a fish, she watched in horror as the second one- deeper-voiced one- helped the other up off the ground.

“-Not that I could blame her though,  _ everybody _ hides from your cookies. They’re probably scarier than Training Camp...”

“Hey! Just because  _ some of us _ don’t have an affinity for Cooking, doesn’t mean you get to ridicule me so easily. You have  _ plenty _ of things you’re not good at.”

“Ridicule? Me? Never. I just speak the unfortunate truth… And though that may be true~ Baking is one of the things I can actually do better than you, without needing a Gift for it.”

Deep Voice placed her- their?- hand to their chest, glancing at the other in mock superiority, while Lighter Voice socked them in the arm, hard.

“Ow. Goodness. I finally come home from being away for  _ months on end _ , and this is how you treat me? Why Ari, I would almost be offended if I wasn’t such a Savior to the People, of course.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not much of a ‘Savior’ as you are a Big Baby. I mean, you ate  _ one _ of my cookies.  **One.** And you instantly double over and start hacking it back up like the cat you are. So, if  _ any _ thing, Mr. ‘Protector of the Land’, ya need to toughen up and  **stop** wearing my face. It’s weird. I can’t call you out as a Dolt when you look exactly like me.”

Stop wearing her  **_what?!_ ** What in the Great Name of Yrixia was going on here? Generally, the Pixie would never use the famed Goddess of Talent’s name, for fear of superstitions, but this situation was beyond bizarre.

As if further accentuating her point she watched without warning, as the whole form of the Deeper-voiced Nanari seemed to be  _ shifting _ before her very eyes. Her- his?- honey-toned skin suddenly dipped, revealing a dark, warm chocolate surrounding trickling fountains of molten gold irises. Auburn flames became a tied down raven as their form rose taller. In a matter of seconds, Marinette was no longer seeing two identical Fairies, she was seeing a Fae using his Gift of an Altering Image. However, it seemed this-  _ Taurin  _ shared the same snowy wings as the girl. At least Mari believed until…

“Anddd my wings.”

“Aww, but Ari~ They’re so cute! Besides, I love you and all, but I didn’t have such a sensitive stomach before I met you.”

“They’re not  **that** bad! Now come on! You look like an idiot with those tiny things on your back!”

To emphasize her point, Nanari reached past his shoulder, and flicked one of the Fairy wings, obviously fake as Marinette watched it reverberate back and forth like a spring. The Pixie then crossed her tan arms over her chest and huffed up at him with a stern face. When he tried and failed to come up with a reasonable argument, she simply lifted an eyebrow at the other Fae’s pitiful excuses.

“You’re no fun sometimes.”

Eventually, his true wings came to light. But what glared back made Marinette’s skin crawl. Crystalline limbs extended out, darkening as they reformed into those she had seen only once before. Except this time, indigo blue morphed with violet as individual feathers appeared across the deformities. She could only stare in trepidation as the Demon took formation.

“Hmm, this  **is** much better, though. As much as I love messing with you, your wings are so  _ small. _ I don’t know how you get around with those dinky things! I mean, I get why you’re so exhausted after hours of flying with how you have to beat them so hard. Say, how many times do you even have to wave those things just to lift off the ground? Over a hundred?”

“Yes well,  _ not everybody _ has gigantic bird arms to carry around. I mean, how heavy  **are** those? I know you drag them around sometimes, especially in the morning or whenever you’re tired enough, but ya know, we Small-Winged People don’t have that problem.”

This time, it was his turn to fold over laughing, said huge wings falling over his head and smacking Nanari on the forehead, who gave out a loud Screeching sound before immediately tackling him to the ground. Both of them burst out laughing. Without conviction. Without fear. They were obviously happy just to be with each other. But how? Marinette had always learned how Demons truly earned their namesakes, by slaughtering anyone in their paths, Fae or not.

But.

That wasn’t exactly true anymore, was it?

At least, the Fairy and Demon before her eyes were proof of that much.

“Nanari was one of my Bugs.”

She nearly jumped as she realized that Tikki was actually talking to her. Marinette wanted to scream, yell, kick, do  _ anything _ to just understand. Why were these two so happy together, even though one was a literal Demon? How was she seeing this? What happened? Where was she? What did Tikki mean by “one of her bugs”? Now, more than ever, answers seemed out of reach.

“All will become clear with time, Marinette. But, you have been Chosen to be the next Ladybug for a reason. I wanted to show you this memory, because Demons weren’t always feared as they are now. They weren’t always known as monsters. In fact, most of them simply wanted normal lives.”

“But… if not all Demons were Creatures of Pure Hatred, then…”

**What?**

She glanced back over to the now-frozen image of the Fairy and Demon, both grinning wide with laughter even as they were tangled up in the grass. The picture practically radiated joy and happiness- dare she say love?- that Marinette nearly burst out in tears because what she had learned all her life contrasted so greatly from the scene set before her. What could she believe?

“Nanari was my Chosen from over five hundred years ago. Like you, I chose her to become the Miraculous Ladybug, a superheroine, in this case, that is sworn to protect the People and purify any dark-hearted spirits. She was my last Bug who lived in a peaceful World without accusations, and without the Tragedy to weigh on the minds of People.”

“So, that Fairy had you as a Kwami too? So wait, you’re saying I’m some kind of purifying Superhero? How does that- How is- What? Wait. But you said when we first met that I couldn’t tell anyone about you. Is that a new rule, or…?”

“Taurin was the Holder of the Black Cat, the opposing half to my powers of Creation. The Black Cat Kwami chooses a ‘Chat Noir’ to hold the power of Destruction in order to aid Ladybug as her partner in crime.”

“But- wait. Nobody has ever heard of these so-called ‘Heroes’ before. And I think if one especially was a  **Demon** , People would remember.”

Tikki, who had been caught up gazing at her old Bug, glanced over to her new Chosen. Her azure eyes held a deep sadness, leaching through from a place not frequently visited. But what the Pixie couldn’t understand was just how ancient her Kwami looked.

“Over the years, there have been countless Guardians. Some known, others forgotten. But tell me, Marinette, if, as you say, a  _ Demon  _ used to be seen as a Hero, would your People nowadays accept that? 

Taurin was the last Black Cat to walk freely.

Yet even his story did not end well.

After his death generations ago, Plagg went into hiding, and has only now reemerged for reasons I cannot say.”

The name sent a ping of familiarity through Marinette, but she quickly found that pinning the specific memory down was harder than she thought.

“-some  **_Fairy-!”_ **

“ **Plagg, I said that was enough!** ”

Needless to say, the Fairy didn’t expect the voices to come jumping at her so suddenly. Almost as if her own memories were working against her, she choked on an intake of air, crumpling to the ground out of fear as she remembered… But if what Tikki said was true, that would mean…

**_No._ **

The scene faded, merging into darkness where a figure slowly took shape. With blond hair flaring back at her, and enormous, dark limbs covering any chance of escape, Marinette stared as her one true Fear came to life before her eyes.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Readers! Thanks for sticking around for this latest chapter! I know the summary was overly dramatic, but I’m a Writer, its what we do. Anyways, Thank You for any Kudos, Comments, or Silent Support given to Fae so far, it really inspires me when writing to know that someone’s reading and enjoying this story. Although this chapter was solely based on Marinette, don’t worry! Adrien will make his appearance again... Heh, me and my Drama. For anyone out there celebrating, Merry Christmas and Bug Out!

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! Golden Weirdo is back with a TOTALLY UNRELATED STORY FROM MY FIRST ONE. I've actually been making up this concept for over a year now, but am just now writing it out. :) For those of you who read "Memories", I am not abandoning that story, I am still working on the new chapter and it will be out soon. I just wanted to post this little teaser for my new, (arguably better) story. Not that I don't like the other one, but Wing Au's have always captured my heart in a different way. I guess it's time I wrote this thing out. I'm curious to see what you guys think! Leave a Comment, Stay Healthy, and Thanks for Reading!  
> Bug Out!


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